UNews - Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Research partnership spurs progress in study that sees seaweed added to cow diets

trevor.kenney — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:25:46 +0000

A partnership between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) provides exceptional opportunities for students to conduct interdisciplinary research in state-of-the-art labs and deliver significant results that can impact the entire agricultural sector.

Dr. Jeffrey Tingley takes his study to the field.

“Our two institutions possess complementary research expertise,” says Dr. Trushar Patel, biochemistry professor and associate dean in the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Together, they not only foster the development of novel research programs but also provide unique training opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students.”

“AAFC and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge are aligned on agricultural research themes, which provides students and researchers with local access to cutting-edge research facilities,” says Dr. Wade Abbott, an AAFC research scientist and adjunct professor at ULethbridge. “Collaborating with the Patel lab over the years has provided a training environment that allows ideas to grow.”

That was certainly the case for newly minted PhD Jeffrey Tingley (BSc ’16, MSc ’20, PhD ’26). He was curious about how cattle and other ruminants digest seaweed, which has different cell walls than land-grown plants. While you won’t often see many cows in Alberta eating seaweed, research has shown that adding it to their diet as a supplement can help lower methane emissions and provide some health benefits.

"While the majority of my research was based at AAFC, the partnership with ULethbridge played a key role in my academic development by offering mentorship, access to equipment and travel opportunities,” says Tingley. “These projects were a team effort. My co-supervisor, Dr. Trushar Patel, provided valuable guidance on project and manuscript design and support for attending international conferences, including the International Gut Microbiology Symposium.”

Working with Abbott, his co-supervisor at AAFC, Tingley partnered with Queensland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Technology, Norwegian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Life Science and industry partners, Beaver Meadows Farm and Cascadia Seaweed Corporation. He explored how the ruminant microbiome responded to unique seaweed cell wall polysaccharides in two research projects.

“In both studies, we were able to identify microorganisms that could digest these seaweeds and the enzymes they used for this process,” says Tingley, who is currently engaged in postdoctoral studies with Dr. Phil Pope at the Queensland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane. “These studies demonstrate that the ability to digest seaweed is widely dispersed as a latent trait.”

Tingley’s work resulted in two research articles in the prestigious journal Nature Communications titled: Distribution of microbial carrageenan foraging pathways reveals a widespread latent trait within the ruminant intestinal microbiome and Alginate foraging is conserved in geographically and taxonomically distinct ruminant microbiomes.

The results show that an underlying ability to digest seaweed is present across geographically diverse animal and human gastrointestinal microbiomes, suggesting the potential of locally sourced, sustainable feed options to help address challenges associated with raising livestock in a changing climate.

Dr. Greg Patenaude named 2026 Board of Governors Teaching Chair

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 May 2026 21:08:49 +0000

An excellent instructor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Dr. Greg Patenaude has a proven record of leadership in advancing teaching practices and supporting fellow ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ while going beyond expectations to create challenging, meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for students.

Patenaude is being recognized for his dedication to student learning and advancing teaching across the institution by being named the 2026 Board of Governors Teaching Chair.

The Board of Governors Teaching Chair recognizes teaching excellence and the scholarship of teaching and learning at ULethbridge.

The Board of Governors Teaching Chair recognizes teaching excellence and the scholarship of teaching and learning at ULethbridge. Patenaude will be recognized at Fall 2026 Convocation.

Dr. Greg Patenaude

Dr. Greg Patenaude readily accepts failure from his students; in fact, it is when his students try and fail that he believes the most effective learning is achieved. Trial and error —learning by doing, failing, and re-doing — provides students the opportunity to reflect and reassess their process and, in the end, perform their task with a different and effective outcome.

An instructor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Patenaude believes that good teaching facilitates how students learn, and good teaching provides opportunities for students to make mistakes. To make mistakes in chemistry is to work on problems, so Patenaude implements a flipped classroom, whereby students view pre-recorded lecture videos and read theory as preparation for class and actually do their homework (problems) in class. This allows him to observe students working on their problems and offer feedback in real time.

The flipped classroom concept is just one innovative technique Patenaude utilizes to help students find success in their studies. Teaching every level of class from entry to senior, he understands uniquely the challenges students face and the learning progression from year to year. He’s developed worksheets for students in organic chemistry who need extra practice on concepts, and organized the Ochem Club, a series of unofficial tutorial sessions for students studying organic chemistry — which he wasn’t even teaching at the time. He also created a new course, Chem 2320 – History of Chemistry, as a liberal education-qualified course.

Patenaude is also keenly engaged in advancing teaching across the institution, and as a Teaching Fellow (2016-2018) he initiated the Peer Mentorship Program, which he continues to lead. This program fosters cross-department and cross-faculty collaboration and supports new instructors in developing their teaching practice. He works closely with the Teaching Centre and is actively involved in the Instructional Skills Workshops (ISW).

A Bachelor of Science graduate from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph, Patenaude earned his PhD in Main Group Chemistry from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria before serving as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Université de Montréal. He joined the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2004.

In his Board of Governor’s Teaching Chair Research Proposal, Patenaude is focusing on researching the impact of the Peer Mentorship Program and looking to identify areas where the program can be improved to ensure its longevity. He will also continue his involvement with and support for Teaching Centre programs and initiatives.

Celebrating the legacy of the Chem Guys with one final show

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:09:53 +0000

For 25 years, they thrilled young audiences with noisy, sometimes gooey, quirky, corny, informative and always explosive events. Now, the incomparable Chem Guys are preparing one final science show — and they’re going out with a bang!

John Eng, left, and Wayne Lippa, right, are closing out the Chem Guys with a bang.

John Eng and Wayne Lippa from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry have been performing as the Chem Guys since the early 2000s. Their shows range from classroom demonstrations to large annual events, intended to inspire excitement about science and specifically chemistry. Throughout their journey, they have performed at venues such as the National Science Fair, the Science Commons opening, and as opening acts for Bill Nye the Science Guy, MythBusters and many more.

Now, with Eng planning to retire after 40 years of teaching and research activities, they are taking the stage for one last time on Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m., at the Co-op Centre for Sport & Wellness — The Chem Guys Final Show, a special presentation of the Owen Holmes Lecture Series. A final show unlike any they’ve done before, the Chem Guys look to leave a legacy by raising funds for a new scholarship that will benefit future chemistry and biochemistry students.

“I always wanted to leave something behind to the institution,” says Eng. “This is a way to give back to the community and the institution and my academic unit.”

What has carried the Chem Guys for so many years has been good chemistry, scientifically and personally. Their shows have revolved around a key motto — chemistry is fun — and their purpose has been to engage audiences, specifically youth, to reduce the fear of chemicals and encourage excitement about chemistry for all ages.

“What we do is try to make chemistry approachable, not so scary. There’s so much fear out there. People say, ‘Oh, we don’t want chemistry. We don’t want chemicals.’ We want to dispel that myth,” says Eng.

Lippa concurs, saying the Chem Guys have always been about inviting everyone into the world of chemistry.

“The best way to learn chemistry is to do chemistry. The best way to understand chemistry is to do chemistry,” he says. “I can’t tell you how many times I hear, ‘I hated chemistry in high school.’ So, we try to make it enjoyable. When we do shows for kids, they’re always super excited, but somewhere along the way, that excitement can fade. We try to bring it back for all ages, to get everyone excited about chemistry.”

It's impossible to quantify how influential their “chemistry is fun” approach has been over the years, but it certainly made an impression on alumna Danika Dorchak (BSc ’18, MSc ’22), who was inspired to pursue both a bachelor’s and a master’s in science.

“Everyone has experiences they look back on as defining moments that have shaped their entire life trajectory,” says Dorchak. “Watching the Chem Guys was one of those moments for me. Their excitement and energy showed me that chemistry is fun, and it ignited my own passion for STEM.”

Tickets for The Chem Guys Final Show, are free for children 15 and under, and $10 for general admission, with proceeds going towards the establishment of a new scholarship to benefit future chemistry and biochemistry students. Visit go.uleth.ca/chemguys for more information.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers uncover new insights that could impact future cancer research

caroline.zentner — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:56:45 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge biochemistry researchers, Drs. Trushar Patel and Higor Sette Pereira, in partnership with Dr. Harpreet Singh from The Ohio State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, have gained new insights about a ribonucleic acid (RNA) known as RMRP that could lead to improved treatments for cancer patients.

RMRP has emerged as a major factor in cancer biology, with elevated levels found in breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers. These elevated levels correlate with poor patient outcomes. In their recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Patel and Pereira have made important strides in understanding how RMRP functions.

RMRP is classified as a long non-coding RNA. Once regarded as cellular "junk," the long non-coding RNAs are now recognized as important regulators of cell function, although the underpinning mechanisms remain poorly understood.

"For the first time, we were able to visualize RMRP's three-dimensional shape and identify new protein-interacting partners that influence its location and function within cells," says Patel, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and a Canada Research Chair. "We discovered that RMRP plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and proper functioning of mitochondria — the powerhouses of our cells."

“We found that when RMRP is removed from cells, mitochondria experience stress and produce harmful reactive oxygen species, which can damage cells and contribute to disease,” says Singh.

"Our findings help explain why cancer cells with high levels of RMRP may have a survival advantage," says Patel. "By keeping mitochondria healthier, these cells may be better equipped to survive and grow. Understanding this connection provides potential new targets for therapy aimed at constricting RMRP function."

Cancer cells are known to rewire their energy production to support rapid growth, making mitochondrial function a critical factor in tumour development and survival.

"By comprehending the basic biology of how RMRP operates, we contribute to the foundational knowledge that may, in the long term, support therapeutic strategies," says Sette Pereira. "If we can alternate RMRP's function in cancer cells, we may be able to weaken them and make them more vulnerable to existing therapies."

Because RMRP is required for normal mitochondrial RNA processing but is also aberrantly upregulated in many cancers, targeted therapies that dampen its expression in tumour cells could be advantageous.

Dr. Paul Hayes named a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada

caroline.zentner — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:21:25 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge chemistry professor Dr. Paul Hayes has received the distinction of being named a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC).

“It’s a real honour, particularly given how highly selective the CIC is with their fellowships,” says Hayes.

Each year, between two and six people are elected as fellows, no small feat, considering there are thousands of chemists, chemical engineers and chemical technologists in the country.

CIC Fellowship is a prestigious honour that recognizes outstanding contributions of CIC members across multiple areas, including service to the CIC; teaching, mentorship and public awareness; scientific management; and scientific and technical contributions.

“There’s only been one other Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada at ULethbridge, Dr. Stacey Wetmore,” he says. “That’s humbling company to be in.”

Hayes completed a BSc Honours at Mount Allison ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in New Brunswick and came west to do his doctoral degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. Following an NSERC postdoctoral fellowship at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of California, Berkeley, Hayes joined ULethbridge in 2006. He was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2015 and was a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair.

“My success is largely due to my supportive environment,” Hayes says. “I work with a fabulous group of students in a remarkable building with incredible facilities. I’m extremely lucky to be surrounded by such great departmental colleagues who excel in teaching, service and research. I’m proud to be part of that team.”

Hayes, who has been the Chair of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry since 2022, has received numerous accolades for his research program in organometallic chemistry and catalysis. An innovative teacher, promoter of access to education and international student exchanges, Hayes has given numerous talks to government officials and the public and always looks for ways to get school students excited about the chemical sciences.

Hayes will be honoured at the CIC’s annual conference in Toronto in May.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge undergraduate leads study published in top-tier journal

caroline.zentner — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:32:51 +0000

A groundbreaking study led by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge undergraduate Sophia Bird is advancing vaccine development while highlighting the national importance of the Canadian Center for Hydrodynamics, which offers access to analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC).

The study, High-Resolution Characterization of Protein-Conjugated, mRNA-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles by Analytical Ultracentrifugation, was recently published in Advanced Functional Materials, a leading journal in the field.

Sophia Bird

Pharmaceutical companies use the AUC to assess the purity of their vaccine formulations during development. Bird and the research team, working under the supervision of Dr. Borries Demeler, developed a new technique to measure the purity. Purity is critical in vaccine development because contaminants can reduce effectiveness or trigger unwanted immune responses.

“The method and software we created to analyze the data are really novel because they can identify contaminants that other methods were unable to detect,” she says. “This ultimately helps pharmaceutical companies and researchers create pure vaccine products.”

“The success of this research reflects a powerful convergence of student excellence, unique infrastructure and strong industry collaboration,” says Demeler, professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. “At its core is the exceptional academic ability, biophysical research skill and dedication of our students — exemplified by Sophia — who work at a level comparable to researchers at much larger institutions while tackling critical challenges in biomedicine.”

The achievement was made possible with the support of AUC Solutions, ULethbridge and a MITACS grant.

“It’s an incredible experience as an undergraduate student to become a first author on a paper, especially in such a prestigious journal,” says Bird, a fourth-year biochemistry student. “Being a first author means that I had a significant role in designing the experiment, writing the paper and collecting and analyzing the results. I had the opportunity to collaborate with a lot of great people who helped me understand the system, improve my research and interpret the results.”

Being first author on a research paper will help Bird with applications to graduate school and show future employers that she’s capable of leading a research investigation and collaborating with scientists at other institutions. In Bird’s case, it has also helped her land a six-month internship with Roche, a health-care biotech company, at their facility in Penzberg, Germany.

“I have the opportunity to go there and work in their gene therapy department and teach them some of the AUC techniques I use here and work in tandem with their researchers who are developing new vaccines,” she says.

Bird’s path to this achievement began in high school through iGEM, where Dr. Laura Keffer-Wilkes introduced her to wet lab research. Since then, she has completed multiple independent studies, worked with international collaborators, attended conferences and workshops, and even spent a semester at a research lab in Christchurch, New Zealand. Following her internship at Roche, Bird is looking at graduate studies.

For Bird, the publication marks both a milestone and a beginning. As she prepares for her next steps, her work stands as a reminder of what young scientists can achieve when curiosity meets opportunity — and of the vital role ULethbridge plays in nurturing that potential.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students dive into biochemistry

caroline.zentner — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 20:25:06 +0000

Two ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students dived into biochemistry in a big way over the summer and became the first Indigenous undergraduate students to work at the Canadian Center for Hydrodynamics (CCH) with analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC).

Demetra (Demi) Good Rider and Thunder Crowshoe completed the Indigenous Student Success Certificate (ISSC) earlier this year. The certificate is designed to help Indigenous students make a smooth transition to university life. They enjoyed their biology and chemistry courses, and Crowshoe jumped at the chance when Beth Grier, a student recruitment officer, informed him that biochemistry professor Dr. Borries (Bo) Demeler was seeking students to work at the CCH.

Demi Good Rider, at left, and Thunder Crowshoe posed for a photo at Sunshine Point in Glacier National Park following the Salish Kootenai College conference in Montana.

“I just emailed Bo and we set up a meeting time,” says Crowshoe. “He took me around his lab and showed me the type of stuff he does and the AUC. He was also looking for more students.”

Crowshoe and Dr. Michelle Hogue, a professor and coordinator of the ISSC, recommended Good Rider, who also accepted Demeler’s offer. She signed up for a co-op position through Career Bridge, while Crowshoe did an applied study in the lab, along with another applied study already underway with Jennifer Burke, a biology instructor, in the ULethbridge herbarium.

“It was a great enrichment for our lab to be joined by Demi and Thunder this summer; they are wonderful teammates,” says Demeler. “They not only impressed us with their scientific acumen, but also generously shared their culture with all of us and invited our lab to their tribe’s powwow in Brocket — a wonderful experience for everyone. We now look forward to opening up the world of biophysics to other interested Indigenous students.”

At the CCH, Crowshoe’s project focused on the purification of DNA and RNA. Good Rider’s project involved creating a plasmid design to develop a calibration standard for the AUC instrument.

“Coming into a biochem job like this, I had no idea what was going to be happening or what I was going to be doing,” says Good Rider. “I’ve done both biology and chemistry, but I’ve never done them together in this sort of sense. It was really interesting to see all the things that we were able to accomplish this summer.”

“I was looking for a job like this because I love science and especially mathematics,” says Crowshoe. “I have Crohn’s disease, and it can affect me in a way that I can’t do physical work. This job was a good fit, and it really opened the door for me.”

In addition to working on their projects, Crowshoe and Good Rider travelled to Missoula, Montana, twice over the summer. They presented posters about their projects at Day of Discovery, a science conference, in Pablo, MT, which is the headquarters for the Flathead Indian Reservation and home to Salish Kootenai College, which hosted the conference. They also participated in the annual AUC workshop at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Montana.

Both students decided to continue their practical work experience at ULethbridge this fall. Good Rider, a kinesiology major, is doing a co-op work term with the Building Brains Together team, teaching traditional Indigenous games to children. Crowshoe will continue his work in Demeler’s lab and has decided to switch his major to biochemistry. He’s also a recipient of an I.D.E.A.L. Scholarship through BioTalent Canada. The scholarship is designed to promote inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility leadership in STEM studies in Canada.

“This fall, I’ll be able to be in charge of my own project, with a little supervision, and run experiments in the AUC, continue my career in the lab,” he says. “Crohn’s disease can actually attack everything in your body; it’s not just your gut. They don’t really know the cause of it; it hasn’t really been researched that much, so maybe for my PhD, I can pursue that as research.”

Good Rider chose kinesiology after learning that her grandfather had once been diagnosed with diabetes and how his walking habits, from one side of the city to the other, contributed to the reversal of his diabetes.

“That’s when I started thinking about First Nations health and kinesiology,” she says. “There are so many unanswered questions around Indigenous health that I would like to explore.”

Canadian Space Agency grant will help further research into the health effects of space travel

caroline.zentner — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 16:35:05 +0000

Dr. Gerlinde Metz, a neuroscientist at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, and a team of researchers have received a $225,000 grant from the Canadian Space Agency to build a better understanding of how the human body adapts to life in space.

The grant was announced recently by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, as part of $2.8 million in research grants to 14 Canadian post-secondary institutions.

“Canada’s investments in astronomy and planetary science are a powerful catalyst for scientific advancement and innovation,” said Joly. “These strategic commitments will empower Canadian researchers with the tools and opportunities they need to develop world-class expertise, driving cutting-edge discoveries and technological breakthroughs right here at home.”

“We are grateful for this funding, as it will allow us to determine the complex biological responses to long-duration spaceflight over time,” says Metz. “Our previous research has shown that space travel resulted in sex-specific changes in metabolites involved in energy metabolism, which may be linked to bone loss, muscle regulation and immunity dysfunction.”

Space travel imposes stresses on astronauts, including noise, vibration, loss of G forces and radiation exposure. Numerous studies have revealed physical complications from spaceflight, including loss of bone and muscle mass.

The grant enables the research team, including Tony Montina from ULethbridge’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and a collaborator from NASA/Pittsburgh, to participate in NASA’s first comprehensive multi-level analysis of the world’s largest existing group of astronauts.

The research project could also help identify protective factors and ways to counteract the negative effects of spaceflight.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher receives Banting Discovery Award

caroline.zentner — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:05:15 +0000

Dr. Jessica Willi, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, is one of 10 scientists to receive a 2025 Banting Discovery Award worth $30,000 and the first to receive the award at ULethbridge.

The Banting Discovery Foundation recently announced its 100th cohort of Discovery Award recipients. The award is for new investigators who are in their first three years of academic appointment to help them establish their independence and trajectory in research related to health and well-being. In addition to conferring prestige, the awards also help researchers attract more funding.

“I’m extremely grateful for this funding from the Banting Discovery Foundation,” says Willi. “Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to public health, and through my research, I want to help provide innovative solutions to this problem. This money will finance our lab’s supplies and employ student researchers here at ULethbridge. It’s the spark that will start a whole new branch of research for my team.”

“Dr. Willi has been an outstanding addition to the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, and accordingly, I am absolutely thrilled she has received the prestigious and highly competitive Banting Discovery Award,” says Dr. Paul Hayes, professor and department chair. “I had the pleasure of reading Dr. Willi’s application, which was extremely well written and creative. She is unambiguously a rising star who will help define the future of synthetic biology, chemistry and human health.”

Willi’s research project will examine how some bacteria can evade antibiotics.

“Antibiotics are life-saving drugs thanks to their ability to fight bacterial infections in humans and animals,” she says. “Most antibiotics do this by binding to the ribosome and blocking protein synthesis, which causes the bacteria to stop growing and die. But not all ribosomes are the same — they have some natural variations in their RNA. My project will test how the natural variation of E. coli ribosomes helps bacteria change and evade antibiotics. We are interested in what happens right before bacteria gain full-blown resistance.”

Unlocking that mechanism will help safeguard last-resort antibiotics and aid researchers in creating newer drugs that are harder for bacteria to evade.

Willi received her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Bern, Switzerland. After doing postdoctoral work in the United States at Northwestern ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Willi joined ULethbridge. She focuses on ribosomes by studying the natural functions of RNA and protein synthesis to find new ways to combat bacterial infections.

About the Banting Discovery Foundation:

Formerly named the Banting Research Foundation, the Banting Discovery Foundation is a Canadian charity that provides seed grants to budding biomedical researchers, many of whom have produced key findings that have transformed the practice of medicine and health care, reduced illness, and improved wellness.

Empowering students to thrive, Dr. Stacey Wetmore earns Graduate Mentorship Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 May 2025 15:44:18 +0000

With student success as her focus, Dr. Stacey Wetmore (chemistry and biochemistry) provides interactive and immersive mentorship in a supportive and compassionate environment, teaching her students the technical, communication, leadership and collaboration skills they need to become independent scientists in their chosen career paths. Wetmore will be recognized with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge School of Graduate Studies Graduate Mentorship Award at 2025 Spring Convocation, Ceremony IV, on Friday, May 30, 2:30 p.m., in the Centre for Sport and Wellness gymnasium.

“She has shown that time and time again, she will go above and beyond the call of duty to help everyone in her lab succeed regardless of their educational background, gender or ethnicity,” says award nominator Briana Boychuk, who Wetmore mentored as her supervisor while in the PhD program. “Her dedication to training and her ability to attract top students have contributed greatly to the expansion of the graduate program at ULethbridge.”

Dr. Stacey Wetmore

Dr. Stacey Wetmore has mentored 24 master’s and 13 doctoral students. Her students have co-authored over 125 publications and delivered more than 325 presentations at local, national and international conferences. Under her guidance, her graduate students have won 41 conference awards and attracted more than $2.8 million in scholarships. They have gone on to secure positions in industry research, postdoctoral fellowships, and as university instructors and faculty members.

When they join her lab, Wetmore introduces graduate students to the field of computational chemistry using interactive workshops and manuals developed in her lab. From there, she works to ensure their success by giving them carefully crafted projects aligned with their interests, with distinct learning objectives for large projects broken down into manageable pieces. Using these approaches, her students gain project management skills, learn to think critically, and hone their scientific and grant-writing skills. They also learn to develop hypotheses, run calculations, analyze data, keep accurate records and write reports. Wetmore meets with trainees both individually and in a group setting and hosts a journal club to critique recent articles. Trainees receive extensive feedback on oral and written works and learn how to deliver effective presentations. Senior graduate students get further training in cluster administration and software installation.

At any given time, Wetmore will be mentoring undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This mixed composition gives graduate students the chance to be mentors, to be mentored and expand their research portfolio. Wetmore encourages them to attend research, teaching and time management workshops by the School of Graduate Studies, the Teaching Centre, research institutes on campus, and at other universities. These experiences allow students to learn from other experts in the field and to form collaborations between ULethbridge and other research universities. Her students are also motivated to volunteer with organizations like the Graduate Students’ Association, Let’s Talk Science and the student groups Wetmore established after the pandemic to enhance the graduate student experience.

Her lab is an inclusive space. Wetmore recruits diverse team members from her classes and outreach activities and provides flexible schedules to accommodate students’ commitments. She also includes her students in initiatives like Operation Minerva, a program that gives Grade 8 and 9 students from underrepresented groups the chance to shadow science mentors for a day.

Under Wetmore’s guidance and mentorship, graduate students are well-positioned to help solve important challenges facing Canada and the rest of the world.

UNews - Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

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